The blog yes, is some sort of unworldly secret connection. It’s special and after more than three years of working on it everyday it seems invaluable and irreplaceable. I treasure you guys at the other end of it. You and you reading it and commenting occasionally make it all complete. Thank you.
Somehow if I could only make it earth shaking every single day. Well, after all this time of writing it I know that isn’t realistic. I just checked, there are over 1400 posts of which maybe 10 percent stand out. OK, well maybe that is a good percentage really. When I start each post I really have no idea how it will end up and sometimes just sometimes I hit the jackpot.
Yesterday I was writing about how Herb stopped by to walk. After our two laps in the rain he came in the house to have a cup of tea and warm up. Somehow we got talking about the Bible reading from that morning at Mass. It was a parable, the one about the three guys that got three different amounts of money to invest depending on their capabilities. One guy gets 4X, one 2X and one 1X. The lord of the manor who gave out the money returns and asks the three how they did. So, the guy with 4X doubled it and the guy with 2X doubled it but the guy that got the 1X buried it and returned it to his master just as he got it.
OK, so the first two guys get “atta boys” and the third guy gets punished severely. So what’s with that? But remember it’s a parable, it can’t be understood with normal earthy logic, that’s the deal. We have to use heavenly logic to crack it, to penetrate it, to understand it. It is really about how God distributes power. If we are really capable as the first guy He gives us a lot and then we are supposed to apply ourselves and be fruitful. If we are given less capability we are still to follow that way. But if we are timid and fearful as the last guy and don’t live up to our capabilities then He will find fault with us.
So if I continue that logic even the guys with 4X can’t bury it. No one can bury it. But what about the guy that gets 3X say and tries really hard and somehow looses everything through no fault of his own. He did everything he could but was not successful. He’s good don’t you think, right?
Parables can be frustrating and they are supposed to be because you just can’t get there from here. We have to think less like we normally think and more like God thinks to make any progress on understanding them. They are other worldly.
Well, time to gear up for the morning walk. It is brightening up slightly and the rain has stopped. Today is supposed to be nice for the Seahawks game in Seattle. See you tomorrow, Love, Felipe.
Somewhere in the parable also is the sense that the first two trusted the talent giver but the third one did not. It is also about relationship… Thanks for the blog!
Michele ~ right, there is a lot in those supposed simple stories. They are set up to make us think. Happy Thanksgiving! Felipe.x
Hola Felipe, Amigo!
Yeah, that particular parable is a head scratcher. Especially when you research and find out a “talent” is a helluva lot of money in those days, you know, like 10 years normal pay for a worker. So even the guy that gets “only” one talent is awed by it, afraid of losing it. Be safe, not sorry. Bury it. Deep. We folks are always keyed in to the ‘money” thing, and it’s hard to put the focus where it should be, on the graces and opportunities that God has given us. If you’re given a ton of those, God EXPECTS us to double, triple, quadruple it in return to others. You, good man, are one of the best examples of that I can imagine. 1400 or so posts out there for literally the world to see and benefit from. I haven’t even added up all the Camino miles you’ve logged now, and each step of them a blessing to someone. You’re damn sure a blessing to me, Amigo.
SF,
PFJ
Juan ~ yea, it’s a good story. We have to get our thinking caps on to work on it though. I just got done reading Pilgrimage about Pope Francis. You would probably like it. Thanks for your support as always. Hello to the fam at Thanksgiving. Felipe.
Hola Felipe,
Aquí Cris! Sorry I have been missing commenting (always reading, I am sure your statistics show I am here in Buenos Aires!) Work has been busy but I have my Camino friend from Idaho staying at home and have been busy but so great… it is pretty amazing how many conversations around the Camino we can have and always find something different and meaningful. Phil ‘s Camino was on them too! Like the dreams to come back…
“Our gifts are not for us alone”, that is what I get from that parabole. For me the problem with burning it is not as much as not multiplying it but not to share it. I find interesting that the word is “talent” and while as Pilgrim John said, was a lot of money, it also speaks about our gifts. And as so, it expands my idea that all type of “talents” we have are to be shared.
Time to get off the bus and get to work!
Argentinian Love going to Vashon Island!
Cris
PS: thank you for sharing your talents.
Hola Cris ~ I know you read the blog even though you can’t always send in one of your great comments. And you have Camino Company now, how fun. Yes, sharing is important part of this parable. If we mirror God then we have to do that. Thanks. I see some little sprouts coming up where we planted the cover crop in the corn field. A little green tinge is starting to appear on the soil. Also am praying for your people on the lost submarine, may they get back safely. Miss you, Felipe.x
Our God is an extravagant God! I love everyone who described the ‘talent’ as about 10 years wages. Wow! I’m just sitting with that for a moment! Imagine getting 10 years worth of pay all at once! What struck me was the word ‘talent’ for a different reason. For the modern meaning of the word. Our gifts and talents are directly from God. No-one here gave us our talents, and no-one here can take them away (paraphrasing that old song). So our job is to take those God given talents and make something of them! Use them! Share them! Your talents are so many, Felipe, and this blog is just another one of your talents. So happy to read and walk with you always. Much love, A
Annie ~ I know, there is a lot in this “simple little story”. I love the parables. So sad that a lot of folks are frustrated by them. Thanks for being here with me. Off to work, Felipe.x